Founded in June 2001, our mission is improved health and well being through human-animal interaction. CHAI's research goal is to increase knowledge of the benefits of the human-animal interaction through interdisciplinary research. We are a recognized pioneer in the area of researching health benefits of human-animal interaction with many studies published internationally in scholarly journals. CH
AI's clinical goal is to enhance health and well being through animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and pet visitation. Our popular therapy dog program, Dogs On Call (www.facebook.com/dogsoncall), provides visits to patients throughout the VCU Medical Center and our research documents the positive impact of these visits. We also provide pet loss counseling groups for clients of participating veterinary and other facilities. CHAI's educational goal is to improve understanding of the benefits of the human-animal interaction. We provide guest lectures in educational settings, occasional practicum or internships, and are often invited to make presentations to local, national, and international audiences.
